The breathing of both started to increase with the increasing intimacy. He snaked his arm around her waist and started planting feathery kisses on her back, going lower till the hem of her waist.
As Mrityunjay came back up, keeping his head on the side of her face, hugging her from behind, his eyes roamed, and he noticed her chest properly revealed from the angle.
He gulped hard, oblivious of the fact that Katha knew where he was looking, even with no view of his face. She knew he wanted her; he wanted her terribly, but was stopping himself from breaking any promises.
She smiled a little, knowing her plan was working. After a few moments, he asked,
“Do you mind if I open the doris? I won’t remove the blouse, I promise.”
Katha, although a little scared, agreed.
Mrityunjay backed away, looking down at her back, and he pulled open the blouse’s doris, both of them.
Katha sucked in a breath feeling the blouse loosen, he slowly and sensually planted more kisses on her back. Her bare back and the goosebumps on her body made him feel something more.
He sat straight, removing his kurta, leaving his body bare. Katha didn’t turn around, fearing that her blouse might come off.
As Mrityunjay leaned in again, planting kisses on her bare back, his hand caressed the skin of her waist and stomach, while Katha felt some new and unknown sensations.
While caressing, Mrityunjay’s hand went a little above, unknowingly touching her bare bosom since her blouse had moved a little. Although he was unaware of it, Katha knew where his hand was, and it didn’t help her already sensual condition.
As Mrityunjay’s thumb caressed the curve of her bosom, realisation struck him about the position of his hand.
He lowered his hand to her stomach and pulled himself up, back-hugging her like before, making his bare chest come in contact with her bare back. She leaned a little back while he planted a kiss on her temple.
A while later, the couple fell asleep.
Probably having the best sleep of their lives.
Next Morning
Mrityunjay was the first one to wake up. Seeing Katha and him cuddled up together, he smiled like a madman, and his heart filled with joy.
He inhaled her scent and backed off a little. After tying the strings of her blouse, he stood up to go and freshen up.
The moment he entered the bedroom, an attendee’s voice caught his attention, as he permitted the attendee came in and informed him,
“Maharaj, your uncle, aunt, and cousins have reached the palace early in the morning, they are waiting to meet you and Maharani-sa.”
Mrityunjay sighed and said, “Tell them, we will be there in an hour. We shall have breakfast together today.”
The attendee nodded and left. Mrityunjay decided against freshening up; he went to Katha first and woke her up.
Katha smiled at him and wished him a good morning. Mrityunjay returned it and informed her about the arrival of guests and the breakfast they are supposed to have with them. Katha nodded, and within an hour, the couple was dressed up for the day.
As they walked out of the chamber, Katha covered her face with the veil, till her nose. The couple walked together, and Mrityunjay decided to start the conversation.
“Aap Mama-sa, Mami-sa, unki santaanon aur bahuon-jamayion se mili hain?”
“Have you met uncle, aunt, their children, daughter-in-laws, and son-in-laws?”
Katha nodded, “I have met all of them, but except for introductions, nothing else is known. When I was living in Maa-sa’s chamber, your sisters and sister-in-laws came to meet me a few times but didn’t talk much, as for your brothers and brother-in-laws, I just saw them on the day of the GrihaShanti Pooja, and then no talking happened.”
He nodded and told her, “Pata hai, Mama-sa hansmukh kism ke vyakti hain. Humare Baapu-sa unhein kuch khaas pasand nahi the, parantu humse aur Ratan se ve bahot prem karte hain. Maa-sa se cheh (6) varsh bade hain parantu deri se vivaah hone ke karan unki santaane humse chhoti hain, parantu une dono putra aur dono putriyan vivahit hain aur sab humse umra mein chhote par aapse umra mein bade hain. Yadi pehle baat nahi hui to ab ho jayegi kyunki humein pata hai ki ab sab milkar aapko aur humein chidhayenge.”
“You know, my Uncle (maternal) is a cheerful kind of person. He didn’t particularly like our father, but he loves Ratan and me very much. He is six years older than Maa-sa, but because he got married late, his children are younger than us, although both his sons and both his daughters are married now. They are younger than me in age but older than you. If things weren’t teased about earlier, they surely will be now, because I know that everyone will gang up to tease you and me.”
Katha chuckled at his statement, and by the time he was done talking, they had reached the dining hall.
Mrtiyunjay’s uncle greeted him with a joy-filled voice, making him and everyone chuckle.
After Mrityunjay was done greeting everyone, Katha moved forward to touch everyone’s feet. His uncle and aunt blessed her happily, but his brothers and sisters stopped her, saying,
“You may be younger than us in age, but Bhai-sa (Mrityunjay) is older than us, making you older than us in relation, so don’t touch our feet, Bhabhi-sa (Sister-in-law)”
Katha nodded at all of them, and after everyone was seated, she was asked to pull up her veil since it wasn’t in their thinking to make their daughter-in-laws cover their heads when in a family gathering.
She did as told and looked at everyone one by one. The ladies who, although they had seen her before, were again mesmerised by her beauty. Her sister-in-laws indeed felt jealous again, but seeing their husbands not bothered by her unmatched beauty, relaxed a bit.
After breakfast, the elders left the dining hall, leaving Katha and Mrityunjay with their cousins and their partners.
As expected, everyone started teasing them about having children soon. Katha tried hiding her flushed face while Mrityunjay was done with his cousins for giving him suggestions.
“Harsh. How were y’all able to come so fast? We sent the messenger birds out yesterday afternoon.”, asked Mrityunjay, trying to divert the topic.
“Bhai-sa, we were still on our way to return to our kingdom, but one of your messenger birds was caught by us, so we decided to turn our convoy around, and that’s how we reached here so early.”
Mrityunjay nodded. As the conversations continued, it turned evening quite early for all of them. Not only did the conversations occur, but many other relatives, along with the neighbouring and friend royalties, came as guests to Vajrajanapur.
As the sun set, Katha started feeling sad, seeing that all the guests on the list were present except for her brother and Guruji.
While sitting with the guests in the brightly lit royal garden, an attendee’s voice was heard, “Maharaj, Maharani-sa, Rana Abhay Singhji from Kundangarh, and Guru Dhananand have arrived at Vajrajanapur.”
The moment those words left the attendee’s mouth, Mrityunjay looked at Katha for her reaction, who was smiling more brightly than ever.
He chuckled and, excusing himself from the guests, went to meet her family along with her.
Mrityunjay chuckled at her eagerness as he noticed her hurried steps. Katha, Mrityunjay, Ratan, and Rajmata reached the entrance. The attendees brought the pooja thali while Katha went running and directly hugged her brother, who was waiting with open arms.
